The Metal Artistry of West Africa: From the Kole Collection

Armstrong presents The Metal Artistry of West Africa: From the Kole Collection art exhibition.

Selected from the hundreds of African works in the collection of Don and Kaye Kole, this exhibit reveals a truly sophisticated art culture that developed in Western Africa for centuries before European traders discovered these miraculous jewels.

The collection includes works from sub-Saharan Africa, including metalworks handcrafted in Nigeria, Cameroon, Mali and Benin. Curated by African art expert Darrell Moseley, the exhibit offers insight into the rich tradition of African metal sculpture.

"Most people don't associate Africa with hand-crafted metal work, even if they have a passing familiarity with African art," said Moseley. "Even fewer realize that Africa had powerful kingdoms that supported royal workshops where artists created exquisite objects to adorn palaces and courtly altars. The Kole Collection represents an unusually broad range of metal artifacts that illustrate the diversity, power and sophistication of these art forms."

Collector Don Kole, a Savannah businessman who has made four trips to Africa over the years, first started collecting African art 30 years ago. Captivated by the imaginative designs as well as the symbolic meaning of African art, Kole became a serious collector, traveling the world and working closely with art brokers.

"I like to discover the stories behind the work," said Kole. "Each piece of African art has a different purpose. It could bring prosperity to the village, give fertility to women or protect someone from evil spirits. They don't make a piece of art to hang on the wall."